The field of the present invention relates to ships. In particular, self-propelled, catamaran-type, dual-application, semisubmersible ships with hydrodynamic hulls and columns are described herein.
A wide variety of ships or vessels are available for various maritime applications. Some of these are described in:                U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,265 entitled “Method and apparatus for salvaging underwater objects” issued Aug. 14, 2012 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,264 entitled “Marine lifting apparatus” issued Aug. 14, 2012 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 8,061,289 entitled “Marine lifting apparatus” issued Nov. 22, 2011 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,985,108 entitled “Modular diesel hydraulic thruster system for dynamically positioning semi submersibles” issued Jul. 26, 2011 to Bekker et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,908,988 entitled “Method and apparatus for salvaging underwater objects” issued Mar. 22, 2011 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,676 entitled “Marine lifting apparatus” issued Feb. 15, 2011 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,845,296 entitled “Marine lifting apparatus” issued Dec. 7, 2010 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,006 entitled “Marine lifting apparatus” issued May 5, 2009 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,495 entitled “Articulated multiple buoy marine platform apparatus and method of installation” issued Apr. 13, 2004 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,190 entitled “Articulated multiple buoy marine platform apparatus” issued Feb. 17, 2004 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,747 entitled “Load transfer system” issued Dec. 30, 2003 to Kjerstad;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,049 entitled “Semi-submersible, mobile drilling vessel with storage shaft for tubular drilling equipment” issued Feb. 25, 2003 to Minnes;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,774 entitled “Articulated multiple buoy marine platform apparatus” issued Aug. 20, 2002 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,773 entitled “Articulated multiple buoy marine platform apparatus and method of installation” issued Aug. 20, 2002 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,710 entitled “Articulated multiple buoy marine platform apparatus” issued Jul. 30, 2002 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,450 entitled “Dynamically positioned semi-submersible drilling vessel with slender horizontal braces” issued Apr. 30, 2002 to Begnaud et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,399 entitled “Method and apparatus for modifying new or existing marine platforms” issued Apr. 9, 2002 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,574 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton packages such as deck packages and jackets” issued Apr. 2, 2002 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,931 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton packages such as deck packages and jackets” issued Nov. 20, 2001 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,421 entitled “Method for DP-conversion of an existing semi-submersible rig” issued Jun. 19, 2001 to Ludwigson;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,350 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton packages such as deck packages and jackets” issued Nov. 21, 2000 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,506 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton packages such as deck packages and jackets” issued Mar. 21, 2000 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,807 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton packages such as deck packages and jackets” issued Nov. 2, 1999 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,093 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton packages such as deck packages, jackets, and sunken vessels” issued Sep. 1, 1998 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,434 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton prefabricated deck packages on partially submerged offshore jacket foundations” issued Sep. 2, 1997 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,441 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton prefabricated deck packages on partially submerged offshore jacket foundations” issued Mar. 11, 1997 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,260 entitled “Method and apparatus for the offshore installation of multi-ton prefabricated deck packages on partially submerged offshore jacket foundations” issued Mar. 4, 1997 to Khachaturian;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,702 entitled “Semi-submersible platform” issued Aug. 13, 1991 to Bowes;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,174 entitled “Semi-submersible platform” issued Mar. 20, 1990 to Bowes;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,682 entitled “Catamaran-type semisubmersible drilling vessel for offshore drilling” issued Feb. 13, 1990 to Pouget et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,672 entitled “Semi-submersible vessel” issued Mar. 3, 1987 to Bennett et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,708 entitled “Self-propelled semi-submersible service vessel” issued Sep. 18, 1984 to Wilson et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,050 entitled “Semi-submersible vessel” issued Mar. 13, 1984 to Liden;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,615 entitled “Self-propelled semi-submersible service vessel” issued Aug. 4, 1981 to Wilson et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,067 entitled “Method of operating twin hull semisubmersible derrick barge” issued Jun. 16, 1981 to Lloyd et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,718 entitled “Semi-submersible pipelaying craft equipped for laying pipes on sea beds, including deep beds, and the method of operation” issued Mar. 24, 1981 to Rosa et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,426 entitled “Method of construction of twin hull variable draft vessel” issued Ser. No. 09/041,979 to Lloyd;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,702 entitled “Method of constructing a twin hulled, column stabilized, semi-submersible derrick barge” issued Aug. 28, 1979 to Lloyd et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,635 entitled “Twin hull semi-submersible derrick barge” issued Apr. 24, 1979 to Lloyd et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,760 entitled “Method of operating twin hull variable draft vessel” issued May 30, 1978 to Lloyd;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,352 entitled “Pontoon boat” issued Dec. 31, 1974 to Schott;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,800 entitled “Twin hull semi-submersible derrick barge” issued Sep. 17, 1974 to Lloyd et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,481 (RE29478) entitled “Single column semisubmersible drilling vessel” issued Nov. 13, 1973 to Goren et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,809 entitled “Semi-submersible work platform” issued Oct. 9, 1973 to Pazos;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,974 entitled “Method and mobile marine platform apparatus having floating submerged mat stabilization” issued Jul. 4, 1972 to Harper;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,354 entitled “Catamaran stabilizer” issued Apr. 4, 1972 to Pangalila;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,773 (RE29167) entitled “Twin hull, variable draft drilling vessel” issued Nov. 2, 1971 to Lloyd;        U.S. Pat. No. D197,868 entitled “Catamaran offshore drilling vessel” issued Mar. 31, 1964 to Thornton;        U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0092456 entitled “Dynamically positioned semi-submersible vessel” published Jul. 18, 2002 in the names of Begnaud et al.;        U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0162935 entitled “Marine Lifting Apparatus” published Jul. 1, 2010 in the name of Khachaturian;        U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0203507 entitled “Ocean going transport vessel with docking arrangements” published Aug. 25, 2011 in the name of Ellnor;        U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0073485 entitled “Marine lifting apparatus” published Mar. 29, 2012 in the name of Khachaturian;        U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0118215 entitled “Catamaran Ship Used for Assembling, Transporting and Installing a Marine Wind Turbine on the Seafloor” published May 17, 2012 in the name of Tosello; and        Belait CSS 1 launched in 2013 by STX Marine, Inc.Each of the patents and publications listed above is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.        
Various of the references listed above disclose catamaran-type vessels for maritime lifting, drilling, or other operations. The catamaran hulls in some examples are floating, barge-type hulls; in other examples the catamaran hulls are semisubmersible hulls that enable the vessel to be raised or lowered relative to the water surface. Some of the vessels disclosed include various degrees of self-propulsion for maneuvering, positioning, station-keeping, or cruising. The vessels disclosed in the listed references are limited in their abilities to operate in rough seas or high wind, in their cruising ranges, or in their cruising speeds.
In the United Stated Offshore Continental Shelf portion of the Gulf of Mexico alone (i.e., within the 200-mile economic exclusive zone) there are currently over 1000 oil drilling or production platforms, many of them submerged, that have been condemned by the U.S. Department of the Interior. A need exists for a working vessel for recovering those structures, and others elsewhere, that can rapidly transit large distances and that can cruise or work on a year-round basis in a wide range of potentially adverse conditions at sea, e.g., in rough seas, high wind, or heavy weather.